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We want to hear about your journey in discovering the Science of Reading and Structured Literacy. Your a-ha! moments, your triumphs and your challenges. Whether you are a parent, teacher, student, grandparent, or employer. So write us something (300-500 words) or send us a short video clip and we’ll add it here on this page.
We also list here, after Blog section, videos of webinars we have put on. Videos are also available on Vimeo.
Blog Index
2024
Job cuts and getting PLD right LLA
Allaying fears over mandate LLA
Knowledge Building Number Agents Blog
Assessing ‘evidence-based’ claims LLA
Looking back to look forward LLA
2023
Our Literacy Policy White Paper LLA
LLA Post-Election Advocacy Update LLA
No child should be left out in the cold on literacy LLA
A Unique Chance For All Parties To Do What’s Right for Learners LLA
Quarter (25%) of NZ schools using Structured Literacy approach LLA
‘And + And’ rebrand won’t hide stale practice Emeritus Professor James Chapman and LLA
Rhetoric of Minister and behaviour of Ministry and ITE at odds LLA
Initial Teacher Training - the elephant in the room LLA
Lowering standards is not the answer to literacy crisis LLA
No need for political football LLA
An expert take on the literacy news this week LLA
Explicit teaching of literacy must not be buried in CPM LLA
We support the teacher strikes LLA
Office of Auditor General probing MoE LLA
2022
Principal calls for Govt to scrap Reading Recovery LLA
Reading Recovery refresh - not good enough LLA
Minister ill-informed, Strategy hollow LLA
2021
We write to Māori Affairs Select Committee LLA
Reaction to Select Committee Report Emeritus Professor James Chapman
Holding Feet to the Fire LLA
Structured Literacy is an Equalizer for ESOL Students Marianne Brown
Funding Your Structured Literacy Journey LLA
Features of good education research Emeritus Professor James Chapman
Reading is fundamental to success in Maths too LLA
Helping to better understand poor attendance and engagement LLA
Free evidence-based resources LLA
My Aha! Moment as a Literacy Intervention Teacher Marianne Brown
The Claimed Success of Reading Recovery is Based Largely on a Myth Emeritus Professor James Chapman
Knowledge is Power Bex Street, Whakarongo School, Palmerston North
Abandon our Literacy Myth Emeritus Professor James Chapman
MPs urged not to leave change to chance LLA
Phonics Fanatics? Definitely not! LLA
Helping ESOL learners - Rosemary’s story Robertson Road School, Auckland
Video Index (scroll down to find)
Video: Our learning challenge to Minister Hipkins and the Ministry of Education
Webinar: Meshing play with structured literacy
Webinar: Learning to read and write - a parent’s guide
Webinar: Using structured literacy with older students
Webinar: Closing the gaps for for Māori ākonga with structured literacy
Webinar: Using structured literacy with ESOL students
Job cuts and getting PLD right
Two pieces of news came through recently from the Ministry of Education. The first was changes to priorities for Regionally-Allocated PLD and the second was the job cuts at the Ministry. We are sitting on the fence as to whether these developments help allay fears in the sector on the structured literacy mandate, or add to them. The focus should be on replacing the top brass at the Ministry and taking the time to get the rollout of PLD on structured literacy to the sector right. Read our views on both these issues in this blog post.
Allaying fears over mandate
We suggest there are many positive signs that the implementation of the Structured Literacy mandate will be done well; based on the best available evidence of what we know works, acknowledgement of the things we don’t know, and in a pragmatic and common-sense way that is able to flex as new information and evidence comes to hand.
Knowledge Development
We share the latest blog post from Number Agents. This one is focused on how to deliberately plan for and bring in knowledge building through child-led play, structured literacy blocks, and other areas of the curriculum.
Assessing ‘evidence-based’ claims
Read about the steps school leaders can take when deciding on investing in literacy instruction training and curriculum materials, as well as what questions a parent can ask their child’s schools on the school’s literacy instruction.
Looking back to look forward
A wrap up of all the positive developments in literacy policy and teaching practice over the past year in New Zealand and our focus for the year ahead.
Our Literacy Policy White Paper
Read our Draft Literacy Policy White Paper and send us a submission by 17 February 2024.
LLA Post-Election Advocacy Update
Find out what we have been up to over the past 12 months and what our focus is now that we will soon have a new Government and Minister in place.
No child should be left out in the cold on literacy
We respond to Minister of Education and teacher union response to National Party Literacy policy announcement.
A Unique Chance For All Parties To Do What’s Right for Learners
Read our press release in response to the National Party’s “Literacy Guarantee” policy annoncement ahead of the 2023 Election.
Quarter (25%) of NZ schools using Structured Literacy approach
As part of our advocacy work, we have collected and present here, information from schools across Aotearoa New Zealand on their implementation of a structured literacy approach.
‘And + And’ rebrand won’t hide stale practice
Emeritus Professor James Chapman responds to the Reading Recovery ‘And + And’ “refresh”
Rhetoric of Minister and behaviour of Ministry and ITE at odds
We are concerned that the rhetoric of the Minister and the behaviour of the Ministry and ITE providers does not align in regard to the elimination of balanced literacy practices and the Minister’s firm adherence to implementing evidence-based practice
Initial Teacher Training - the elephant in the room
This report summarises feedback received in late 2021 from 237 teachers on the quality of teacher training they received at New Zealand universities on literacy instruction. There is a lot of room for improvement!
Lowering standards is not the answer to literacy crisis
Read about our reaction to the Government’s announcement that it will offer a temporary reprieve to schools concerned about implementing its new NCEA numeracy and literacy standards.
No need for political football
Read this post about what you can do to stop literacy instruction becoming a political football.
An expert take on the literacy news this week
Listen in as Professor Emeritus of Educational Psychology at Massey University, James Chapman, provides some serious food for thought on the new Common Practice Model and some of the controversial elements of the National Party's education policy.
Explicit teaching of literacy must not be buried in CPM
Our initial reaction to release of Common Practice Model by Ministry of Education.
Office of Auditor General probing MoE
Give your feedback to the Office of the Auditor-General on how the Ministry of Education uses information to understand and address inequities in education.
Principal calls for Govt to scrap Reading Recovery
New data out from the Ministry of Education NZ showing a further drop in the number of schools participating in Reading Recovery - a failed literacy intervention.
Video: Our learning challenge to Minister Hipkins and the Ministry of Education
Our video message to the Minister of Education from Lifting Literacy Aotearoa calls on him to acknowledge the Science of Reading. “After his comments at the launch of the Literacy Strategy, we are concerned Minister Hipkins is not aware of how the brain learns to read, so we prepared this informative video to support his learning” says Alice Wilson, Chair of Lifting Literacy Aotearoa.
Webinar: Meshing play and structured literacy together
Are you a teacher passionate about play? Have you heard about a structured literacy approach and decodable books? Are you struggling to grasp how you can make a structured literacy approach work alongside a largely self-directed, play-based classroom?
In this video hear from two experienced educators who have, through enquiring deeply into their own practice, found a way for the two approaches to work together. Learn from their experiences and ensure your literacy teaching is the best it can be, whilst still harnessing the benefits of a play-based approach. A digital toolkit including full notes of the discussion and a 4 page summary are available for purchase from our Shop.
Webinar: Learning to read and write - a parent’s guide
Are you worried about your child’s progress in learning to read and spell? Or are you just curious to understand more about how we learn these skills? Have you heard about a structured literacy approach and decodable books? Are you struggling to understand how you can help your child, or how you can work with their school to improve your child’s literacy learning? In this webinar, two of New Zealand’s leading literacy coaches, Liz Kane and Carla McNeil and our Chairperson, Alice Wilson, share their knowledge and experience so that you feel more empowered and confident in what you can do to help your child.
A digital toolkit including full notes of the discussion and a 4 page summary are available for purchase from our Shop.
Webinar: Using structured literacy with older students
We know that there is a huge need for literacy support for our 10 - 18 year olds - we know this because you have told us, and we know because we have approximately 40% of adults in Aotearoa who are have barely functional literacy skills - this affects their employment, health, safety and wellbeing. People don’t suddenly become poor readers when they become adults - they don’t fly with reading and writing from the BEGINNING. We know we need to get our teaching right, from the start, to prevent difficulties from occurring. But right now, we have a large group of learners needing our help to catch them up.
This webinar is aimed at parents and teachers to help you understand how you can use a structured literacy approach with older children - those in intermediate and high school. Our aim is for you to leave with practical knowledge you can use in your schools or at home to help your struggling older learners.
A digital toolkit including full notes of the discussion and a 4 page summary are available for purchase from our Shop.
Webinar: Closing the gaps for Māori ākonga with structured literacy
In this webinar, aimed at kaiako and mātua, we will help you to understand how you can use a structured literacy approach in a Te Reo Māori language setting to raise student achievement. Our aim is for you to leave with practical knowledge you can use in your kura or at home to help your young people become confident and proficient readers and writers and achieve success at school and beyond.
A digital toolkit including full notes of the discussion and a 4 page summary are available for purchase from our Shop.
Webinar: using structured literacy with ESOL students
This webinar is aimed mainly at teachers to help you understand how you can use a structured literacy approach with your ESOL students. Our aim is for you to leave with practical knowledge you can use in your schools to help your young people become confident and proficient readers and writers and achieve success at school and beyond.
A digital toolkit including full notes of the discussion and a 4 page summary are available for purchase from our Shop.